Reviewed by Mamta Madhavan for Readers' Favorite

Inky and the King by Richard Wickliffe is a story with a nautical theme in which Inky the squid and the King of all Music become friends after Inky frees the latter from the belt he has been trapped in for years. He tells Inky that he is the soul of all good music and wonders whether music on land has suffered since his absence. The King tells Inky how he got into the sunken ship. Inky offers to help get the King back to dry land. The only squids Inky can think of helping them are the Calamari Brothers, Lucky and Sonny. Will they be able to save the King and send him back to dry land?

The story is about differences, acceptance, being non-judgmental, helping each other, and self-discovery. The illustrations are delightful yet powerful and they convey the concept and the message clearly to readers. Inky, the King, and the Calamari Brothers are well portrayed and their characters are memorable. The messages and the concepts in the story make it a perfect story for children as it helps them to discover themselves and their strengths. It makes a good bedtime storybook and is ideal for read aloud sessions in classrooms and school libraries to help children understand self-acceptance, inner strength, self-discovery, and accepting differences. The story concludes with an open ending, making readers wonder whether Inky, Sonny, and Lucky will be able to visit the King and learn more about dry land! I hope book 2 comes out quickly to find out more.